"abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhah" YSP 1.12 Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of the consciousness." B.K.S. Iyengar - Anything worth doing takes time, focus yourself on a long consistent yoga practice. Initially your focus will be on learning the proper actions but once you have been through the postures a few hundred or even thousands of times you will begin to see so much more than what you intially understood about the pose.

Do not let your mind talk you out of practicing. One hurdle to get past is participating and practicing regularly, your mind will play tricks on you and this is a big step in your journey. Start by committing to go to class even if you don't feel like it and for the days you can't make class, practice at home. Make time to practice your poses even if all you have is 15 minutes, most important is a regular consistent practice and with this you will start to understand more about yourself.

With a consistant yoga practice you will begin to gain knowledge of any imbalances in your body from right to left or even from your front body in comparison to your back side. You start to recognize how you use one muscle too much and then some muscles are completely turned off or inhibited. With this new knowledge of how your body works your mind will create new connections which allows you to begin to have a deeper understanding into your personal patters which will translate directly into your relationship with yourself as well as others.

This Self-Knowledge you gain from a long consistant practice will give you the tools to change life patters and with new understanding detachment will come. After practicing for a period of time you will have glimpses of pure consciousness in comparison to fluctuations in consciousness and once you have touched a moment of this pure bliss state you will find yourself wanting to make your way back to the stillness. In this place you are able to let go of what you do not understand along with any expectations so you can look at what you do know to see clearly how to be present.

Be careful with yourself, look at your heart's desire and find what fills you from within. There are often many things we feel obligated to do but come to find out the time and energy spent was unnecessary. Getting to the point where we can tell the difference is a major realization in how to let go and simplify life. Create a deep devotion to being present and focus on what brings you peace and happiness. Study the behavior of your consciousness and use these five ways to be more present to what matters most to you.

5 Ways to Practice Being Present

Create single minded effort

Be friendly and kind towards all creation

Compassion

Joy

Indifference and non-attachment <--this is a big one!

Grounding with the earth, sky and sea in my new Sahar Swimwear I picked up from one of the vendors from yoga80 at the FREE Chanting + Mediations I am hosting. Join us Monday in Sorrento Valley and Thursday in Carlsbad 7:00 to 8:15 pm, hope to see you there x Reegs

Parivrtta Sthiti or Lateral Extension are commonly known as turns or twists. Twists stimulate the Organs of Elimination as well as the Organs of Reproduction and help to keep the internal organs in their place along with combating visceral fat. Not only do twists stimulation your internal organs but they also create space between the vertebrae of your spine so your energy can flow.

Practice:

1. Start by sitting in a comfortable position to chant Pranava "OM" three times. After chanting "OM" create an intention for your practice. Your intention could be something personal like a goal or self affirmation or maybe you want to give thanks or even you could dedicate your practice to someone you know who could use a little extra love.

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose: Have your feet hips width apart as well as parallel to each other and move your heels back and down. Hands are shoulder width, spread your fingers wide apart, have your palms flat, press into the pads of your fingertips. Reach your outer arms down and lengthen the inner arms from the center of the chest. Lengthen the sides of the trunk, create more space from your armpits to your hips. Lift your sits bones high, stretch well your outer knee ligaments and lift your kneecaps up by loading and lifting the quadriceps. Relax your head and breathe, hold the posture for one minute.

3. Parivrtta Parsvakonasana Preperation - Revolved Extended Side Angel Pose Preparation: Have both your legs at 90º angel with the back leg’s knee placed directly under the hip and the front leg’s foot directly under the knee. Press well the back leg shin, top of the foot and toe nails down, press well the front leg’s foot especially the big toe mound and inner heel. When you enter the pose you can use your hand to help move and turn the internal organs, cross your arm over the leg and place your hand on the floor and reach the top arm straight up. Lengthen the side body and focus more on the lift and lengthening rather than the turn.

4. Take Adho Mukha Svasasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose between the turns to stabilize and stretch out the spine and internal organs. Take all the actions as before and be sure the abdomen is not gripping but completely relaxed which will allow it recede naturally. Soften and relax your face, jaw and tongue, allow the tongue to move into the lower palate and it will also slightly recede. Breathe here for five to ten breaths.

5. Parivrtta Parsvakonasana Preperation - Revolved Extended Side Angel Pose Preparation: Enter this pose from Virabhadrasana II, pivot the back foot and turn to cross your arm over as you did in the previous pose but now take the top arm over top of the head and look up and through the armpit. Press well the back foot toe mounds and lift from the arch of the foot up and through the heel. Press the back leg thigh back and open up the back of the leg. Lengthen the side body, draw the back of the head back and just like in the previous variation focus on lifting and lengthening. This is still considered a preparation as the finality of the pose the back foot heel is down.

7.Bharadvajasana - this pose is an ode to the sage Bharadvaja. Take first your left leg in Virasana - Hero Pose and the right leg in Ardha Padmasana - Half Lotus. Press the sits bones down as well as the top of your left foot, shin and toenails. Reach your right arm back and around to grasp your foot. Like in the previous turns, focus on the lift and lengthening, initiate the turn low starting at the base of your spine moving up the spine slowly and turn or included your head last. Repeat on the other side.

8. Savasana - Corpse Pose: Rest on your back for a minimum of one minute holding absolutely still. Softening and relaxing the entire body at first focusing on the flow of breath inside the trunk and torso then let everything go and just be. When you come up roll to your right side rest in a fetal position with your knees drawn in towards your chest for a few breaths and then come up with your head last. Sit for a moment and reflect back to your personal intention and seal the practice chanting "OM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantih".

We all hold a lot of emotions in our hips, when you're stressed out, your body responds by tightening, clenching down and storing the stress and over time this can really take a toll. Here is a fifteen minute practice you can do anywhere, anytime to help release tension.

1. Start by sitting in the hip opener, Vajrasana - Thundebolt Pose. If you are unable to sit on your heels then use a bolster or a few blocks between your legs so you can sit comfortably. Take time to reflect to something personal, a goal or self-affirmation to set your intention for the practice.

2. Make Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose and take five breaths. Then take Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana - One Legged Downward Facing Dog Pose by lifting up one of your legs up, making sure to draw the lifted leg top buttocks towards and through the extension of your lifted foot.

3. From Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana - One Legged Downward Facing Dog Pose step your foot to the top of your mat for Kapyasana - Crescent Moon Pose. Press well the instep of your front foot and press down the back shin, top of the foot as well as your toes. Lift up creating more space from your hips to your armpits, draw the lower shoulder blades into the back body and move your back leg top buttocks towards the hamstrings.

4. To bind, take the foot into the inside of your elbow, maintaining the points from the previous pose as well as focusing on maintain your "normal" breathing through the nose. If your lose your breath or the lift you created in Kapyasana you have gone too far. Once you are able to hook your hands together then draw the back leg outer-upper-thigh as well as shoulder blade more forward as you move the hands away from you.

5. Lizard Pose - Utthan Pristhasana bring your hands down inside of your front foot and draw your back leg knee up off the ground. Bring your shoulder blades into the back body, broaden your collarbones and chest either on your forearms (as shown) or with your palms flat and arms straight. Press the back foot toe mounds down and open the back of the leg like in Chaturanga Dandasana - Four Limb Staff Pose.

6. Supta Baddha Konasana - Supine Bound Angle Pose. Release the back with this self supported Supta Baddha Konasana by drawing the soles of your feet together and then reaching from underneath to grasp your ankles. Draw the shoulders from in to out, moving the shoulder blades into the back ribs and broaden through the collar bones. Rest your outer hip on the forearms. You can make Savasana in Supta Baddha Konasana or lie flat and practice stillness for a minimum of one minute, then the practice is complete.

When I opened yoga80 in 2008 I had a mission which was to help people cultivate personal practice and still to this day it is our number one focus. We believe in Freedom! Freedom which comes from having a "Personal Yoga Practice". Create your own practice with proper knowledge of how to move into a yoga pose, what to do while you are holding that pose and how to exit the pose, safely and with proper alignment. This is what we teach at yoga80. Get the Freedom to practice yoga anywhere for yourself, like I did this morning overlooking the ocean. Then, when you really want to take your practice to the next level take our 200-Hour Teacher Training!

When do you straighten your legs in daily life? In yoga one of the first things to learn is how to properly straighten your legs. Forward Bends are all about getting those legs straight and your knee caps lifted. Here is a fun 15-Minute Forward Extension - Paschima Pratana Sthiti sequence.

1. Start with sitting still for at least a minute. It is crucial to connect inward prior to practicing your poses, the practice will be able to be more internal setting you up for a deeper practice. Take a moment to observe the body first from the Pancha Karmendriyas - Organs of Action (Pada - Feet, Pani - Hands, Payu - Organs of Elimination, Upastha - Organs of Reproduction, Vak - Voice). Then move to the Pancha Jnanendriyas - Organs of Perception (Shotra - Ears, Tvak - Skin, Chakshu - Eyes, Jivha - Tongue, Grahna - Nose). Lastly allow the consciousness to be on the inside of the trunk starting with the sides, then the ribs, focusing into the back ribs and the great expansion of the rib cage, stay there for the remainder looking at how the breath effects the ribs, specifically the intercostal space between the ribs, soft and supple.

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog with your heels at the wall. Press well your heels to the wall. Press your palms flat, have your index finger pointing forward and have weight in the knuckles of your hands and press well the pads of the finger tips. Reach your outer arms down and lengthen the inner arms from the center of the chest. Move your weight into the legs, lengthen the sides of the trunk, create more space from your armpits to your hips. Lift your sits bones high, stretch well your outer knee ligaments and lift your kneecaps up by loading the quadriceps.

3. Urdhva Prasarita Eka Pada Padasana - Downward Facing Spread One Leg Foot Pose, Phase I: From Downward Facing Dog with heels at the wall draw one leg up the wall and tuck all five toes and press the toes mounds on the wall and walk the hands back about half way to the wall. Draw the lifted legs outer upper thigh towards the midline and continue to press your palms flat, have your index finger pointing forward and have weight in the knuckles of your hands and press well the pads of the finger tips. Reach your outer arms down and lengthen the inner arms from the center of the chest. Lift up from the hands all the way to the lifted leg and through the foot.

4. Urdhva Prasarita Eka Pada Padasana - Downward Facing Spread One Leg Foot Pose, Phase II: From Phase I, walk your hands back and slide your lifted leg further up the wall. If you can make it all the way to the wall in a full split, then first draw the heel down to the ground and then untuck the lifted leg toes and press the toe nails against the wall. Continue to draw the lifted legs outer upper thigh towards the midline. Repeat steps 2 through 4 on the other side.

5. Titibasana Preparation - Firefly Preparation. Have your feet a little wider than hips width distance. Bend your legs and draw your right arm under your right leg and bring it up like you make the lower arm in Gomukasana - Cow Face Pose then draw your left arm back and either clasp your hands or grasp the left wrist. Straighten the legs as much as possible. Allow your head to draw towards the floor and turn to look over your left shoulders. Repeat on the other side.

6. Supta Baddha Konasana - Supine Bound Angle Pose. Release the back with this self supported Supta Baddha Konasana by drawing the soles of your feet together and then reaching from underneath to grasp your ankles. Draw the shoulders from in to out, moving the shoulder blades into the back ribs and broaden through the collar bones. Rest your outer hip on the forearms, tuck your toes on the wall. You can make Savasana in Supta Baddha Konasana or lie flat and practice stillness for a minimum of one minute, then the practice is complete.

In yoga, rest and relaxation is just as important as the tapas of the standing poses. When you give your body time to heal and regroup you are actually calming your central nervous which in turn boosts your immune system which improves your over all heath. Take time for you and rejuvenate by taking a fifteen minute restorative practice. This sequence could be stretched out to be longer than fifteen minutes or you could skip the Down Dogs and Bridge Pose and only do the Legs up the Wall part with out the bolster pillow to help aid with your digestion after a large meal.

Practice:

1. Sit in Swastikasana - Auspicious Pose to chant Pranava "OM" three times. "OM" or sometimes you see it written "AUM" the sound is made up of three syllables: A, U, and M, or, phonetically, "aaah," "oooh," and "mmm." When "A" and "U" are together they make the sounds "oooh". When chanting imagine the "aaah" starting at the base of the spine and traveling up along the front of the spine as you make the "oooh" sound and then allow the "mmm" to resonate through the crown of the head. After chanting "OM" create an intention for your practice. Your intention could be something personal like a goal or self affirmation or maybe you want to give thanks or even you could dedicate your practice to someone you know who could use a little extra love.

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog with your thumb and index finger at the wall. Make sure to press well your hands, the palms press flat and have weight in the fingers as well and do not allow your thumb or index finger to push up against the wall. Legs are straight, press your thighs back, stretch well your outer knee ligaments and lift the knee caps up. Allow your head to relax completely, reach your outer arms down, lengthen the inner arms from the center of the chest moving your shoulders away from the wall towards your hips and move your hips away from your shoulders. Lift your sitting bones high, open your chest and breath. Hold for one minute.

3. Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog with your heels at the wall. Press well your heels to the wall, reach your outer arms down and lengthen the inner arms from the center of the chest. Lengthen the sides of the trunk, create more space from your armpits to your hips. Lift your sits bones high, stretch well your outer knee ligaments and lift your knee caps up by loading the quadriceps. Palms are flat with even weight in the full circumference of the palms of your hands as well as have consciousness in the pads of the finger tips and knuckles of your hands.

4. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana - Bridge Pose: The bridge from the physical body to the subtle body. Bend your legs and place your feet flat on the floor directly under your knees. Grasp the edges of the mat to roll your shoulders from in to out, lift up your seat and move your top buttock flesh towards the hamstrings. Continue to roll your shoulders under, broaden through your collar bones and even possibly interlace your ten fingers underneath your seat. Move your buttocks towards your heels and press your outer arms down. To exit come our slowly lowering vertebrae at a time bringing your seat down last. Do one, three or five resting your low back on the ground and your feet flat, legs bent eliminating any space between your low back and the ground for rest between.

5. Viparita Karani - Legs up the wall with the the hips lifted above the heart. Start first by taking your legs up the wall and then lift your hips up and slide the bolster pillow underneath your seat. Draw the base of the big toes to touch, spread your toes apart and reach your toe mounds away from you. Press your thighs towards the wall. Press your outer arms down, draw your lower shoulder blades closer together and into the back body, broaden the upper shoulder blades and collar bones. Relax your your temples, jaw, tongue, throat and abdomen. This pose is beneficial to the organs of the body as well as stimulates the glands.

6. From Viparita Karani cross your left leg and then right into the first pose you did, Swastikasana - Auspicious Pose but now with the different gravity of having your legs up the wall.

7. Straighten your legs back up to pose #5 and find the actions of your feet once again. Then from Viparita Karani cross your legs into Swastikasana - Auspicious Pose switch the crossing of your legs crossing the right leg in first and then left on top. Continue to draw your shoulders away from your ears.

8. Lastly make Baddha Konasana in Viparita Konasana by drawing the soles of your feet together.

9. Slide back just enough to rest your seat onto the floor and repeat the crossing of your legs as in pose #6, #7 and #8. You can rest in each pose for one to five minutes.

10. Finish in Savasana for a minimum of one minute, lying flat with a deep concentration on your breath. To come out turn to your right draw your knees towards your chest and come up with your head last. Take a moment to reflect back to the intention you created at the beginning of your practice and then seal your practice by chanting (((OM))) Shanti, Shanti, Shantih.

How can we take a step back to take time to reflect inward in this increasingly distracted and hurried world? Create a personal yoga practice, when you are alone with an inner reflection you are able to tap into your own creativity, intuition, purpose and what truly makes you happy. The world we live in is noisy, take time to be quite and reflect inward even if all you can take is fifteen minutes for your personal care.

Practice:

1. Sit in Swastikasana - Auspicious Pose to chant "OM" three times. Interestingly enough Paranva, OM or AUM the sound when chanted vibrates at the same frequency found through out nature. OM literally is the basic sound of the earth or it is even thought of as the sound of the universe. By chanting OM and at the beginning of your practice you are symbolically as well as physically tuning into nature and by chanting OM there is an effect on the body, the vibration slows down your nervous system and actually calms the mind. Another reason we chant OM at the beginning and end of the practice is to define a transition from daily life declaring this is a time for yourself.

2. Adho Mukha Vrksasana - Upward Facing Tree Pose practice holding for one minute, set a timer. Start with Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose, spread your fingers and bring more weight into the pads of the fingertips and the knuckles of your hands. Step one leg up about halfway and lift the other leg high in the air. Use the wall and kick up on an exhale breath. Once you are up continue to breathe through your nose and draw your legs into each other, have the extension of the legs reach your feet, spread your toes, reach your toes mounds away from you and the outer edges of your feet back towards your outer hips, continuing to roll the thighs from out to in. Keep your arms straight and strong, rotate the triceps towards your nose and grip the floor with your fingertips. Be sure to practice kicking up with both legs.

3. The king of all the poses, Sirsasana - Headstand, practice holding for one minute, set a timer. Press well the outer hands, wrists, center forearm bones and inner elbows, very little weight on the crown of the head. Have the extension of the legs reach and go through your feet. Reach up from the inner legs to the inner ankles, puff your inner heels, spread your toes, reach your toe mounds away from you and have the outer edges of your feet reach towards your outer hips. Move your shoulders towards the elbows continue to press well through the outer hands, wrists, center forearm bones, inner elbows, broaden the collar bones and draw the shoulder blades into the back body, keep your mid-buttocks in and use the legs to lift you up.

4. The Queen Mother of all the poses, Salamba Sarvangasana - Shoulder Stand, hold for as long or even longer than you held Sirsasana, Headstand. Move the shoulders towards the elbows, press well the outer arm and elbows down and use your legs to lift up. Be sure your thighs are moving from out to in, draw your mid-buttocks in and lift up. Have the extension of the legs reach and go through your feet. Reach up from the inner legs to the inner ankles, puff your inner heels, spread your toes, reach your toe mounds away from you and have the outer edges of your feet reach towards your outer hips.

5. Urdhva Dhanurasana - Upward Facing Bow Pose. Be sure your abdomen is relaxed and breathe. Move your top buttock flesh towards the hamstrings/ heels, draw your triceps towards your nose and the shoulder blades into the back body. Keep your feet parallel to each other as best you can and press well your inner heels and big toe mounds, lift up from the hips and the armpits. Straight arms, press into the the palms of the hands but also bring weight into the knuckles and fingertips.

6. Practice Savasana - Corpse Pose for a minimum of one minute, set a timer. The practice flushes the nervous system with a host of new neuromuscular information and Savasana gives the nervous system a chance to integrate and absorb all of the benefits. Just as we distinguish a moment with the seated meditation at the beginning of the practice signifying the start, Savasana at the end is also a moment distinguishing between the end of the practice and now going forward with your day and daily life. Once you come up from Savasana be sure to reflect back to your intention created at the beginning of the practice and then lastly seal the practice chanting "Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shantih".